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Re: Dream Terminal Thoughts
Posted By: SiliconDream =PN=Date: 1/13/02 1:22 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Dream Terminal Thoughts (Tycho7en)

: Personally, I don't like the "timelines" idea. When I looked at the
: Infinity universe, I saw the Marathon Universe in chaos, conflicting and
: contradicting itself. The future changing the past. The past being the
: future...
: I think that Infinity isn't linked by "timelines". What's happening
: to the marine is that he is being warped (by Jjaro implants, I assume)
: back and forth in time, with events and history itself being altered as
: you go. It's not a completely different universe... rather, it's ONE
: universe following the W'r monster's rules.
: "It was as if the universe had forgotten its own rules."
: Let's put it this way, the W'r monster's unleashed... little things start
: changing. After M2, we takes out the 723rd Aggressor Squadron. Then,
: Durandal evades the Trih'xeem and we're home free. But wait... in the
: manual, Battle Group Seven TRAPS Durandal in an undetected station (the
: Jjaro oupost in Ne Cede Malis?) and deploys the Trih'xeem, and Durandal's
: warning the Pfhor of an "ancient chaotic being being trapped deep in
: the Lh'owon sun". And in Ne Cede Malis, Durandal is acting out of
: character, tells the player that he slaughtered the naval garrison and the
: western arm of Battle Group Seven... and he thought that the Trih'xeem was
: retired. According to Durandal, Tycho hesitated to use the Trih'xeem.
: What's more, Tycho is still alive. When we get to Rise Robot Rise Durandal
: never kidnapped you, your weapons have been taken by the Pfhor for their
: own research (my only guess), and you are now Tycho's servant.
: I believe that this is the theme of Infinity. It's not an alternate universe
: plot, but one universe in chaos, ever changing, now a never-ending dream.
: A dream that always ends as a nightmare... unless the player can do
: something about it.
: There is a line of continuity though this chaos, but it's hard to make out
: because the small details seem to be the first casualty...

Well...from the Cyborg's point of view, there's not a lot of difference between a multiverse with different timelines, and a single universe with changing pasts and futures. How might we distinguish between the two?

For one thing, a single fluid universe should be altering all the time, according to the will of the W'rkncacnter (or chance). But we don't see that happening. Each arc of levels (usually three or more) is perfectly self-consistent. History only alters after your time jumps, never while you're just wandering around killing people.

Also, you're constantly being exhorted to find the right path which will take you to a successful future, and that seems a bit odd if there is no right path. If the W'krncacnter's simply rewriting history periodically, then there's nothing really for you to do...just sit around and hope that eventually he rewrites himself back into prison.

Both of these indicate that altering history is your job, not the W'rkncacnter's. (Although certainly the W'rkncacnter could make it easier, and I think that's why you can always jump back from a failed future). Tycho also blames you for the timeline shifts, and in fact depicts the W'rkncacnter (doubt) as opposed to them.

As for whether there's one or many universes...the Ne Cede Malis terminal is pretty definite on that, I think. "Thousands are sailing." "A line of infinite ends." And then there are all the dream terminal lines about finding the right "way" or "path", which is only meaningful if there's a probabilityscape of multiple timelines for that path to wind through.

--SiliconDream

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Replies:

Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/13/02 1:53 a.m.
     Good grief!Hamish Sinclair 1/13/02 5:44 a.m.
           Holy Doctoral Thesis Batman! *NT* *NM*Ernie 1/15/02 3:27 p.m.
     Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsMark Levin 1/13/02 6:46 a.m.
           Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsTycho7en 1/13/02 8:20 a.m.
                 Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsCpt. Sqweky 1/14/02 8:32 p.m.
           Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/13/02 3:47 p.m.
                 Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsAndrew Nagy 1/14/02 7:00 a.m.
                       Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/14/02 1:54 p.m.
                       Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/14/02 2:59 p.m.
                             Duplicate post, sorry *NM*SiliconDream =PN= 1/14/02 3:04 p.m.
                             Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsAndrew Nagy 1/18/02 7:24 a.m.
                                   Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsTru7h 1/18/02 9:11 a.m.
                                   Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/18/02 1:10 p.m.
           Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsAndrew Nagy 1/14/02 7:00 a.m.
     Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsTycho7en 1/13/02 7:43 a.m.
           Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/13/02 1:22 p.m.
                 Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsTycho7en 1/13/02 3:06 p.m.
                       Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/13/02 11:31 p.m.
                             Wow, it all makes sense now!Jonah 1/15/02 12:37 a.m.
                             Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsTycho7en 1/15/02 4:04 p.m.
     Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsRincewind MoG 1/13/02 1:23 p.m.
     Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsTru7h 1/13/02 1:49 p.m.
           Re: Dream Terminal ThoughtsSiliconDream =PN= 1/13/02 3:59 p.m.
                 Oh, and...SiliconDream =PN= 1/13/02 4:01 p.m.
                       Re: Oh, and...Smasher 1/13/02 7:29 p.m.
                             Re: Oh, and...SiliconDream =PN= 1/13/02 10:55 p.m.



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